Fred Phelps, ousted Westboro Baptist Church founder, dies at 84

By Jillian Sederholm and Meg Wagner, Digital First Media

Posted:
03/20/2014 10:49:21 AM MDT

Updated:
03/20/2014 10:49:24 AM MDT

Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, dies at 84

Former Westboro Baptist Church leader Fred Phelps died late Wednesday, according to his children. He was 84.Timothy Phelps told Topeka's WIBW that his father died just before midnight Wednesday. Shirley Phelps-Roper confirmed to the Topeka Capital-Journal that Phelps died in a Topeka, Kan. hospice. A cause of death has not yet been reported.Earlier this week, Nathan Phelps, who broke away from the church 37 years ago, posted on Facebook that his estranged father was "on the edge of death" in ...